Kid Bicycle Accidents – Helmets Protect Against Head Injury

Posted by rozeklawoffice on February 22, 2010 under Bicycle Accidents, Child Injuries | Be the First to Comment

The single most important thing you can do to reduce serious injury among children riding bicycles, skateboards, and rollerblades is to make sure they are wearing a helmet every time they set out to ride. Here are some statistics to drive home the point:

• Each year, approximately 140 children are killed on bikes.
• Children sustain more than 275,000 nonfatal bicycle injuries each year.
• Nearly 690 children are injured daily due to bicycle accidents.
• Other than the car, bikes are the cause of more childhood injuries than any other consumer product.
• 75% of fatal head injuries among child bicyclists could have been prevented by wearing a bicycle helmet.
• More children ages 5-14 are seen in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to biking that any other sport.
• Helmet use can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and severe brain injury by 88%.

Regardless of the statistics, national estimates report that only 15-25% of children that bicycle wear helmets.

Other than understanding the importance of wearing a helmet for safety, it is also important for parents to understand where bicycle fatalities occur the most. Statistics show that 53% of child bicycle fatalities occur when a child is riding on a minor road compared with 46% when riding on a major road (highway). Also, 58% occur at non-intersection locations.

If you are a parent or watch children bicyclists under the age of 16, please have them wear  a helmet to protect them in the event of a bicycle accident.

If you or someone you love has been in a bicycle accident, please contact an experienced bicycle accident lawyer to ensure your rights are protected and you receive adequate compensation for your injuries and medical bills.